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Garner Named Playful City USA for Fourth Straight Year

Post Date:05/17/2017 5:34 PM

The national nonprofit KaBOOM! has honored the Town of Garner with a Playful City USA designation for the fourth consecutive year. Garner was one of just 11 cities or towns in the state to earn the recognition this year, joining Raleigh and Durham as the only Triangle municipalities to be named a 2017 Playful City USA.

Playful City USA honors cities and towns across the country for putting the needs of families first so kids can learn, grow and develop important life skills. As the organization notes, the communities it honors are transforming ordinary places into playful spaces and using play as a solution to the challenges facing their residents.

The 2017 Playful City USA recognition includes 258 communities across the nation. In total, these communities feature more than 14,000 safe and engaging play spaces that serve more than 4 million kids.

“We are honored to be recognized as a Playful City USA for the fourth consecutive time,” Garner Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Director Sonya Shaw said. “Our parks and recreational facilities, programs and events provide numerous opportunities for citizens to be actively engaged in health, fitness and social activities.”

KaBOOM! is dedicated to giving all kids—particularly those growing up in poverty in America—the childhood they deserve, filled with balanced and active play so they can thrive.

“We are thrilled to recognize Garner for putting kids first,” KaBOOM! CEO James Siegal said. “The well-being of our communities starts with the well-being of our kids, and play is critical for them to thrive. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that all kids get the childhood they deserve filled with play.”

To see the full list of Playful City USA communities and learn more about making play the easy choice for kids, visit kaboom.org/playfulcityusa.